Maverick Vinales: KTM is “the first time I’ve had a fast bike”
Maverick Vinales says the KTM RC16 is the first “fast” MotoGP bike he’s raced.
The 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix delivered the first major surprise of the season, as Maverick Vinales put KTM in the victory fight.
He finished second, but was demoted to 14th after the flag because of a 16-second time penalty incurred for breaching front tyre pressure rules, but, in battling with Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia at the front of the race, Vinales – who still has the most recent non-Ducati win at the 2024 Grand Prix of the Americas over a year ago – had become the first non-Ducati rider to challenge the Bologna bikes this year.
“You overtake better with this bike, no,” Qatar Grand Prix winner and championship leader Marquez – who originally thought Vinales was the factory team’s Pedro Acosta – asked the Tech3 KTM rider after the race in the cooldown room, as revealed by the latest episode of MotoGP.com’s Unheard series.
“It’s a lot easier,” was Vinales’ simple response.
“It’s twice as fast. Look how fast it goes!”
Vinales added that “you can brake really late” with the KTM, although “it doesn’t turn well,” but the Spaniard later said that the KTM is the fastest bike he’s ridden in MotoGP.
“The KTM is really fast in the straight,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”
Vinales – who previously rode for Suzuki, Yamaha, and Aprilia in MotoGP – added: “It’s the first time I’ve had a fast bike.”
Bagnaia noticed something else about the KTM, that it’s aerodynamics make it difficult to follow.
“It’s really hard to be behind a KTM,” the Italian said.
“It creates loads of turbulence.
“When you’re behind a KTM there’s a lot of movement.”
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
